Wind power is expanding fast, but major hurdles remain. That was the key takeaway from today’s Wind Power Seminar 1 at EnergyWeek 2025, where industry leaders tackled the challenges of offshore expansion, slow permitting, grid limitations, and the role of hydrogen in balancing the energy system.
Speakers Dag Sandås (Etha Oy), Pauline Fournols (WindEurope), Anni Mikkonen (Renewables Finland), and Toni Kekkinen (Fortum Renewables) painted a picture of an industry at a crossroads. Offshore wind presents massive opportunities, but without the right policies, infrastructure investments, and public support, progress could stall. Meanwhile, wind and hydrogen must work together, but costs and market conditions will determine whether this partnership takes off.
Offshore wind: The biggest opportunity, but not without risks
Dag Sandås, Chairman of the Board at Etha Oy, opened the seminar by calling offshore wind Finland’s biggest energy opportunity. However, realizing this potential won’t be easy. While floating wind technology could reshape the sector in the future, fixed offshore wind is the immediate priority—provided the permitting process allows it to move forward.
Sandås also pointed to uncertainty in the global market, naming the United States as a major risk factor for wind power. Economic and political instability in the U.S. could disrupt investments, shifting priorities for developers and financiers. He also raised a bigger question: What is truly local and what is global in the wind industry? While wind power is an international business, policy decisions at the national and municipal levels determine whether projects get built.
But Sandås’ biggest concern was the combination of regulation and public opposition, which he described as a major roadblock to offshore wind expansion. Without clear permitting processes and public engagement, even well-planned projects could face delays or cancellations.
“If regulation and local opposition combine, offshore wind could get stuck before it even starts,” he warned.
Europe’s wind industry: A race against time
Pauline Fournols, Energy Policy Manager at WindEurope, gave a European perspective, noting that onshore wind in the Nordics and Baltics had a strong year, with Finland ranking fourth in Europe for new wind capacity after Germany, Spain, and France. However, she warned that Europe isn’t moving fast enough, particularly compared to China, which is electrifying at record speed.
Fournols stressed that permitting remains the biggest bottleneck. Even with the EU Wind Power Package, approvals are still too slow to meet climate targets. She also emphasized that grid investments must double for wind energy to meet growing demand, warning that even the best projects will struggle if the infrastructure isn’t in place.
Finland’s wind boom: A step forward, but more work ahead
Anni Mikkonen, CEO of Renewables Finland, highlighted Finland’s rapid wind power expansion, which has now surpassed hydropower as the country’s largest source of renewable electricity. With 94% of Finland’s electricity now emission-free, the transition is well underway—but far from complete.
Mikkonen emphasized that electrification and hydrogen are essential next steps. She also pointed to municipal elections as a crucial factor, warning that local governments can either enable or block offshore wind projects.
“We need neutral politicians who make wise decisions and allow offshore wind to move forward,” she said, stressing that local politics could make or break Finland’s renewable energy future.
Wind and Hydrogen: a perfect match—If the timing is right
The final speaker before the panel discussion, Toni Kekkinen, VP of Wind and Solar Nordics at Fortum Renewables, turned to how wind and hydrogen must work together. Using the phrase “it takes two to tango,” he argued that hydrogen production must be synchronized with wind power availability to stay competitive.
“We need to dance with the wind,” he said, explaining that hydrogen should be produced when electricity is cheapest, preventing price spikes and stabilizing the grid. Without this alignment, green hydrogen risks being too expensive to compete with fossil fuels.
Kekkinen also stressed that scale is key. Hydrogen projects must be big enough to lower costs, and public support is crucial—without local job creation and cooperation, opposition to new projects could slow progress.
What’s next for wind power?
The Wind Power Seminar 1 showed that wind energy is growing, but major challenges remain. Offshore wind has massive potential, but permitting, regulation, and public support will determine how quickly it moves forward. Hydrogen and wind must work together, but costs must come down for hydrogen to scale.
The real test now is whether policy, investment, and local engagement can align fast enough to ensure that wind and hydrogen don’t just dance, but drive Europe’s energy future forward.
